Many elongated vegetable commodities such as carrots, parsnips and cucumbers require end trimming and segment cutting to prepare them for processing and subsequent packaging. Since the length of each type of vegetable varies considerably, it is important to remove a measured amount from each end before cutting segments from the remaining product. This is normally accomplished by trimming one end and then sliding the product by some means to an opposite end where the other end is trimmed as well.
As early as 1914, Phinney describes in U.S. Pat. No. 1,098,398 a device where a continuous belt of pockets tips one way and then the other to trim both ends of string beans. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,738,258 Goodale discloses a similar concept whereby a chain of trays tips one way and then the other to trim carrots, parsnips and the like. Zanetti pursues a similar path as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,831,925 where he twists a continuous flighted belt from one side to the other as does Chapman in U.S. Pat. No. 5,320,033. Several attempts have been made to tip the conveyor to one side causing the product to slide to a registration stop as in U.S. Pat. No. 3,800,258 of Lent and U.S. Pat. No. 4,367,675 of Boots, but these only trim one end. McKenna discloses in U.S. Pat. No. 5,623,868 a method of capturing product between the flights of an inverted belt and sliding them from one side to the other using transversely running friction belts.
These machines all utilize mechanical means to orient and move their product, which involves a great number of mechanical parts and drives, such as drive shaft, belts, and timing devices. The complexity of these machines typically leads to maintenance problems and subsequent down time. In addition, these types of machines can be difficult to feed at a high rate, due to inertia of parts and handling limitations inherent in mechanical componentry, and do not accommodate feed problems well. The present invention addresses the shortcomings of previous machines in a novel way that allows for high production with low maintenance.